Majority Rules
by mabelreid
Summary: One Shot follow up to "Sick and Evil. Warning for episode spoilers! The team decides they need a tie breaker for their debate on the jet returning from Maine. Do they ask Garcia, or do they ask Reid, or do they ask both. Who will win the majority?


**_Disclaimer: see my profile_**

 ** _A/n as you all are no doubt aware, Reid is my favorite character, and I'm irritated when he's not in an episode. Therefore, I had an idea for a one shot that picks up at the end of "Sick and Evil," which adds him into the case. Who will gain the majority and who will admit defeat in the ongoing argument over the paranormal status of the BAU?_**

 ** _Spoilers ahead. You have been warned!_ **

"He's not the right choice to break the tie, Emily." JJ insisted as she finished her drink and thought about a bag of Cheetos to complete her de-stressing moments with the team.

"Why?" Emily inquired over her glass.

"Because his favorite holiday is Halloween and he loves horror movies. He's prejudiced toward the supernatural."

"Seriously, JJ, that's _your_ argument," Emily countered.

"Yes."

"I agree." Tara put in as she stretched both arms over her head and groaned.

"Me too," Matt said and clinked his glass with Tara. "We should ask Garcia. She spends more time alone in the office than all of us put together."

"Yeah, and she's _not_ into ghost stories," Tara said.

"That's not true," Emily said. "Spence once told me that she freaked him out by suggesting that a house he was in during a case, might be haunted by the ghost of a missing woman."

"Oh, right," JJ said. "I remember that case. Our first suspect was an old man who lived in a huge house in the woods, alone. His wife left him, but no one knew and when she disappeared – well, I don't have to tell you what a small town believes in such circumstances."

"Maybe we should ask Anderson or Sharp?"

"And have them think we've finally broken down mentally," Rossi said. "I don't think so."

"Who says we haven't," Matt teased and ducked when JJ tossed one of her Cheetos at him. "I for one, am tired."

"Me, too," Emily agreed. "Let's try to get some rest, and don't worry about reports. Go home everyone; it can wait until the morning."

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Reid looked around as he entered the BAU six days later. He smiled as he took in the familiar surroundings of the bullpen. He also noticed JJ at her desk. "Hey, JJ."

"Morning, Spence. Glad your back, I missed you." She approached and hugged him after he put down his bags under his desk.

"Thanks, missed you too."

"How was teaching?"

Reid smiled, and her heart soared at the evident happiness in his eyes, something rarely seen lately. "It was – exceptionally fulfilling. I like it more and more."

"I'm glad, Spence. I like seeing you happy."

"I am," he said, then noticed the pile of files in his inbox. "Or, I was, until now."

JJ smirked at him. "I have a pile on my desk, too. Happy Monday."

Reid rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'm going to grab some coffee and get started."

JJ laughed and shook her head. "You and your coffee, Spence."

"Hey, I've cut back quite a lot, only tea after two pm."

"I've noticed," JJ said. "Are you sleeping better?"

"Yes," Reid said. "I _may_ have had a slight caffeine addiction."

"Slight," JJ said and laughed when Reid frowned.

"Stop it," he complained, then sighed. "You're right."

JJ watched him walk away and then got on her phone to send a quick group text. In a few minutes, everyone had gathered in the conference room, except for Reid who looked around in confusion when he entered with a mug of steaming, fragrant coffee. He looked up at the conference room and saw JJ and the team. He shrugged and realized his paperwork would have to wait for the next case.

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"Hey, guys," Reid said as he hurried into the room. "I didn't realize we have a new case."

"We don't," Emily said. "We need you to break a tie of opinion on the team."

Reid surveyed his team and noticed they were all schooling their expressions, which didn't bode well for him. "Guys – what's going on?"

"You're familiar with the last case we had without you?" Emily stated as fact.

"Yes, I always read up on them, you know that."

"Then you know it had to do with haunted houses," Rossi put in.

"There's no proof any of them were haunted before the killings," JJ interrupted.

"What does the case have to do with a tiebreaking opinion from me?" Reid asked as confusion took residence on his face.

"Rossi, Luke and I believe that the BAU is haunted. JJ, Tara, and Matt do not," Emily said firmly.

"What's your opinion, Spence? "JJ inquired with a smirk.

"That depends on your definition of haunted," Reid stated. "If you mean as Webster defines the word: Haunted, to inhabit, visit, appear, in the form of a ghost or other supernatural being. Also haunted can mean to visit often, to frequent a location. Thirdly, it means to come to mind often, to obsess over. And, lastly to be continually present in, to pervade," Reid finished as JJ rolled her eyes.

"Ghosts rattling chains, objects moving on their own, feeling someone watching you when no one is there, footsteps, voices, unexplained noises," Matt said with a smirk.

"Oh, that definition," Reid nodded and took a sip of his coffee. "In that case, then yes, I _do_."

"Spence, seriously," JJ complained.

"Yes. I've heard more than one person say that they've seen lights on in Hoover's old office on the first floor when no one is supposed to be there. Carlson, the night guard, said he heard a voice telling him to check the second-floor supply closet."

"Where he found a dead body," Tara teased.

"Actually, he found a rat," Reid said.

"So, a ghost told him to look in a closet because of a rat. Why?" Matt asked trying to get a rise from Reid.

"Why not, rats carry disease."

Tara groaned and shook her head. "Reid."

"They do," He insisted. "Maybe the ghost thought someone might get bitten."

"Come on, Spence."

"Okay," Reid relented. "Maybe Carlson was making a bad joke, but there's no denying there is something after death."

JJ and Emily exchanged a look with Rossi.

"What," Matt, Tara, and Luke said together."

"It's nothing, I'll tell you about it some other time," Reid evaded.

"Well, I think we have our answer," Emily said. "The majority rules. Thanks, Spence."

"You're welcome."

"Wait, what about Garcia," JJ suggested.

"You think she'll side with you," Emily said. "I _don't_ think so."

"Let's ask her and see."

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Garcia found her team in the conference room, and she frowned. "I'm pretty sure we don't have a case, guys."

"We don't, but we all have work on our desks, and the sooner we settle this, the sooner we get back to it," Emily said with a significant look to all of them.

"Okay, what can I do," Garcia asked.

"We have a debate going that stems from our case in Maine."

"Oh, the haunted houses," Garcia said with some excitement. "I don't like the fact that our killer took advantage of another ghost hunter."

"Then you believe," Tara said, disappointment clouding her tone.

"Yes."

"Do you think the BAU is haunted?" Matt put in.

"Yes, without a doubt."

"I told you," Luke said, and he smiled when Garcia gave him a look that he recognized.

"Don't pretend you _know_ me, Alvez," she said, loftily. "I am a woman of many mysteries."

"I'm sorry, you're right," Luke said, but held back laughter as he spoke.

"I think there's only one way to settle this," Reid said. "As Emily said, the majority rules."

"What does the _majority_ want?" JJ asked, sarcastically.

"Simply respect for our beliefs."

"Spence is right," Emily said. "We all respect the other's right to believe, or not to believe.

"Fine, but I think you all are crazy," Matt joked.

JJ shook her head. "Come on, let's get to work."

"Fine with me," Tara said. "I'm done talking about ghosts and specters. Woohoo," she howled in a poor attempt to sound spooky.

"Not scary at all," Garcia complained as Reid, Emily, Rossi, and Luke, all nodded their agreement.

"Hey Guys," Reid said as they made their way back to the bullpen. "Did you know that there's a walking tour of DC that focuses on our spooky history. It's only ninety minutes long and only $20 a person. We should do it."

"I did that when I started at the BAU," Emily said with a smirk. "It's interesting. We should go."

JJ, Tara, and Matt looked at each other. "Fine, we'll do it, but only if Rossi picks up the tab for everything."

"Why me?"

"Because you're our rich friend with _nothing_ better to do with his money," Tara pointed out.

Rossi rolled his eyes. "All right, but only if Reid refrains from trying to horn in on the guide's facts and stories."

"Me," Reid said in mock surprise. "Why would _I_ do that?"

"Because you can't help yourself," Rossi said.

Reid grinned at them all. "I promise I will _not_ interrupt."

"This I have to see," Matt said as they all laughed. "Count me in!"


End file.
